Enlightenment cannot be the goal

[Salvijus]

Also in a few hours today Gangaji will be streaming online meeting. It would have great benefit for you that you wont be able to appreaciate at this point perhaps. I recommend you make use of this possibility. She's an advaita, self-inquiry teacher. 

Stay Well ? 

 

Edited January 3, 2021 by Salvijus

[Nahm]

On 1/1/2021 at 3:52 PM, meow_meow said:

Baisacally the conclusion after finishing the book is that reaching Dao cannot be the goal or a destination or something to achieve because if it becomes one of these, it's not Dao. And that makes perfect sense since a goal, destination or achievement is a thing and how can enlightenment be a thing? 

Those are not “things”, as in “separate” or “other” “things”...those are thoughts. 

There are no “things”. Things, is a thought, about there being separate “things”, about there being “separation”. 

(This belief is the belief you are a separate thing...which is thought attachment.)

So there is no ‘thing’ to arrive at, only the realization of thought attachment, the belief in separate things...what’s ‘arrived at’ is No Things. But this is not ‘arrived at’, it’s what you already are, infinite being, No Thing. Try to think of any thing which is like awareness. It’ll ‘drive this home’. 

“Empty your cup”.....empty of the belief in “cups”. Look at “a cup”, in the honest recognition “cup” is a word you learned, a label, the conditioning of ‘separate things’. ‘That’ is not “a cup”, it’s ‘perception’...and the thought ...“cup”. There are no “things” “in” perception. There is no ‘that’ in perception, only “in” thought. 

On 1/1/2021 at 3:52 PM, meow_meow said:

I basically don't see any point of asking questions anymore or even looking since what is there to look for? Who's looking? It's still my mind that's doing all that.

“My mind” is also a belief in a separate ‘thing’.  Examine perception...is there a seeing of a my mind? Is there a hearing of a my mind? Or is there a thought....”my mind”? 

On 1/1/2021 at 3:52 PM, meow_meow said:

Any tips on what to do?

Inspect direct experience. 

On 1/1/2021 at 3:52 PM, meow_meow said:

How to think?

“How” is just another thought. This thought, like all thought, is dual, or, based on there being separation, “two”. It implies there is a separate you....and the separate mind, or, thinking. 

On 1/1/2021 at 3:52 PM, meow_meow said:

or Any idea of how to proceed on this spiritual journe y past this point would be helpfull.
 

One can not pass what is not there. One can surrender the belief.

[snowyowl]

@Nahm  a spiritual masterclass in one post! Much gratitude 

[Nahm]

@snowyowl

[LfcCharlie4]

Ask & answer questions until the mind falls silent. Otherwise your simply denying your own curiosity. If you have no questions, great, but if you're simply resisting those questions, you are working against the flow, or the 'Tao.' 

Self-Inquiry is meant to expose you to your true nature, Ramana 'developed' the method for those who went ready for silent transmission (most people) 

 

[BipolarGrowth]

@How to be wise isn’t Eckhart Tolle’s whole story built upon enlightenment occurring without a practice? He had one thought that effortlessly spiraled him into an awakening and a form of enlightenment. As far as I’m aware, he had absolutely no spiritual practices before that, and this self inquiry was not given to him by anyone else. 

[How to be wise]

@BipolarGrowth He is a rare case. I’ve heard of a few others.

Btw, it’s totally impossible for the average person to become enlightened without a practice, as I said. Otherwise the whole world would be enlightened.

[Someone here]

10 hours ago, meow_meow said:

Okay, but I suppose I'll need some pointer to where else to look?

Wherever you look is yourself. 

You are reality. You are God. Infinite intelligence. Pure divinity. Pure love. Brahman. The absolute. The everything the nothing. The real the unreal.  You are THAT which cannot be spoken. 

[Nyseto]

On 1/1/2021 at 3:56 PM, Javfly33 said:

Classic newbie mistake.

Enlightment is not a thing and you are it. But if you haven´t realized it directly and experience it for yourself, taking it as a belief won´t help you that much.

So you have to seek and seek and seek even though what you are seeking is what you already are.

Yes, its a mindfuck and counter-intuitive but this is not something you can outsmart. Too many spiritual people have fallen into the trap of not seeking and adopting God and Truth as a belief. Don´t become one of those people.

Seek !

I'd say there's only one way not seeking can work and that's if you don't adopt anything to fill the emptiness. Adopting a belief is still seeking in a way because the seeker always lives from separation as "me and my beliefs". Seeking helps to a point to bring the mind to the brink of its own end. 

Edited January 5, 2021 by Nyseto

[VeganAwake]

3 hours ago, Nyseto said:

I'd say there's only one way not seeking can work and that's if you don't adopt anything to fill the emptiness. Adopting a belief is still seeking in a way because the seeker always lives from separation as "me and my beliefs". Seeking helps to a point to bring the mind to the brink of its own end. 

? ❤